This invention involves a cart device and a device for attachment of the cart to the outside of a motor vehicle. More specifically, this invention involves a safety cart attachable to the outside of a truck preparing to undertake work proximate a highway wherein the cart includes various safety devices including a warning sign on the cart itself.
There is a continuing need for workers and particularly repair persons to work immediately next to or even on a portion of a highway with motor vehicles continuing to travel along the highway while the work is being carried out. This work includes repair of electric lines, telephone lines, gas pipes, water pipes, sewer pipes, and the like. Many times, this work is of an emergency nature and is begun immediately upon the repair truck arriving at the scene. In order to warn and control traffic, it is common to set out signs warning approaching motorists of the encroachment onto the highway, many times narrowing the roadway by reducing at least one of the lanes of travel. The sign is placed at a certain distance while rubber or plastic brightly colored cones are used to delineate the work area and to move the motor vehicles into the more restricted travel lane. Sometimes flashing lights or even flares are used to warn the approaching motorists.
The problem with the present system is that the signs are typically not resistent to winds and are easily blown over, exacerbated by the air flow of passing motor vehicles. Further, the setting out of the signs and the cones is a particularly hazardous undertaking. Without the sign at the end, the passing motorist is not forewarned. Further, the repair person must make multiple trips carrying the sign and cones to various distances away from the work site. There is an additional problem in that repair persons are not necessarily skilled in estimating distances and it is most important that the sign and the cones be spaced sufficiently away from the work area to provide the motorist with sufficient warning.
None of the prior devices satisfy these needs nor do they attain the objects described hereinbelow.